Sainz: My best option for 2025 would be an F1 title-winning car

Thursday, 25 July 2024 at 21:47

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz remained tight-lipped about his future when speaking to reporters ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, but said he would definitely remain in Formula 1, hopefully with a top team.

Sainz will leave Maranello at the end of the season to make way for Lewis Hamilton amid news former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will join Audi's F1 project as Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer has increased speculation that the Spanish driver could follow suit.

"I'm not up to date with everything that is going on at every team, but of course, I think the arrival of Mattia to any team is positive, mainly because he has the experience of what it takes to build a team that is a top team nowadays," Sainz told reporters ast Spa-Francochamps on Thursday..

"And he has that experience from Ferrari that he can bring into Audi. And I'm sure he's a great asset for them. And that's why they hired him."

Sainz, who will be replaced at Ferrari by seven-times F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, has received an offer from Audi, but no decision has been made.

Audi seemed to be Sainz's destination after Ferrari confirmed Hamilton would replace him

"The offer is still being discussed and obviously analysed very carefully and there's changes to a lot of teams that I'm looking at for next year pretty much every week," Sainz said.

"So there's changes, evolution, and decision to analyse all these things that keep changing without giving you too many clues."

Sainz joining Swiss-based Sauber, who will become the factory Audi team in 2026, had looked increasingly unlikely given their form this season - the only team yet to score a point - and the ambitions of the driver.

"My best option for next year would be a championship-winning car, which has been my number one priority since these talks about my future have happened," he added, as if reminding Mercedes without a confirmed second driver and Red Bull with a troubled number two driver that he is around."

But then added realistically: "And the likelihood of that, we all know that is small, but that's always been my target. And if that doesn't happen, I'll choose what's best for my near future, for sure."

How about a sabbatical?

His future will definitely be in F1, as Sainz categorically ruled out taking a year out if the right offer does not come along: "Absolutely no, sabbatical is not even in my head.

"I'm happy in Formula 1, I love Formula 1 and I would rather go down to a midfield team and use my skill, in the peak of my career, to try and help a midfield team to find the right way than taking a year off or being third driver for anyone," reckoned the Spaniard.

When pushed to provide a timeline for his decision, Sainz responded: Do you honestly think I'm going to answer that question? After all this time, I'm now going to tell you if I'm going to decide tomorrow or in five days or before the summer break?

"I cannot honestly give you the answer, and I cannot answer that question. It's as simple as that. I don't know. I don't know if [the decision] is going to be before or after the summer break. I don't know," added Sainz.

(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Additional Quotes from Agnes Carlier)